PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of self management of patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, and to investigate the factors influencing self management.
METHODS
The subjects consisted of 117 diabetes patients who visited the outpatient department of a university hospital from March to August 2008. Data were collected by asking the subjects to answer a 54-item questionnaire and were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 14.0 program.
RESULTS
The total mean score of the patients in self -management was 4.38 out of 7. Medication adherence obtained the highest score under self-management, and the self-monitoring of blood glucose obtained the lowest score. Family support, self-efficacy, severity, and depression were found to be significantly correlated with self-management. In stepwise multiple regression analysis a total of 44.5% of the variance in self management was accounted for by family support, self-efficacy, severity, and depression.
CONCLUSION
Therefore, a diabetic intervention program should be designed and provided for increasing family support, self efficacy, and severity and for reducing depression of patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.

PURPOSE
This study was object to the effects of a resistance exercise combined with relaxation therapy on blood pressure, frequency of exercise and physical fitness in elderly women.
METHODS
Seventy three elderly women participated in an exercise program for 12 months. The exercise program consisted of stretching, massage and resistance training using thera-bands twice a week and 50 minutes in every sessions each week. Repeated measures ANOVA were performed using SAS.
RESULTS
After the exercise program there was a significant difference in systolic blood pressure, frequency of exercise, body fat, sitting to standing, walking 2 minutes, sitting on a chair and reaching, and standing on one leg with eyes opened. After 6 months, there was a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure and significant increase in frequency of exercise, body fat, sitting to standing and standing on one leg with eyes opened. In 12 months, there was a significant increase in body fat, 2 minutes walking, and sitting in a chair and reaching.
CONCLUSION
Resistance exercise combined with muscle relaxation therapy would have a positive effect on elderly women. We found that it was helpful for the elderly women in terms of physical fitness.

PURPOSE
This study was to develop the clinical competency evaluation, and to examine the effects of the developed evaluation by comparing it with existing evaluation on clinical competency, communication skill, and self-efficacy of nursing students.
METHODS
Design was a randomized control group post-test design. The subjects were 102 senior nursing students(Experimental group: 48, Control group: 54) at K university in seoul, Korea. The experimental group took the clinical competency evaluation using standardized patients and the control group took the existing evaluation using a doll. The clinical competency and communication skills were measured by evaluators, and self-efficacy was self reported by the nursing students.
RESULTS
The experimental group had higher scores in clinical competency, communication skills, and self-efficacy than those in the control group.
CONCLUSION
Through these results, practice education of nursing education programs need to activate the clinical competency evaluation using standardized patients.

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to identify the clinical characteristics and risk factors on the occurrence of variant angina, and to examine the predicting factors on the vascular endothelial dysfunction of the patients with variant angina.
METHODS
A total of 134 patients diagnosed with variant angina were recruited from 2006 to 2008. The degrees of endothelial dysfunction were measured and recorded by the researcher using the values of flow-mediated vasodilation of their brachial arteries and Nitroglycerine-mediated dilation. Subjects' demographic data and risk factors were gathered after obtaining informed consent, and their electronic medical records were reviewed to collect laboratory data.
RESULTS
The mean age was 54.2 +/- 9.6 years and 52% was male patients. More than 50% of the male patients were cigarette smokers and had hypercholesterolemia. 84% of the male patients and 70% of the female patients had more than one risk factor of cardiovascular disease. A stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that smoking and hypercholesterolemia predicted the decrease of flow-mediated vasodilation (Adjusted R(2) = .204, p < .001).
CONCLUSION
Tailored educational interventions for smoking cessation and cholesterol management are needed to prevent recurrence of angina attack for patients with variant angina and to prevent cardiovascular disease for middle-aged workers.

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to test criterion-related validity of the Critical Patients' Severity Classification System (CPSCS) developed by the Hospital Nurses' Association by examining relationships with brain injury severity measured by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), recovery state measured by Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), and days of stay in ICU of brain injury patients.
METHODS
Prospective correlational research design was adopted by including 194 brain injury patients admitted to ICU of one university hospital.
RESULTS
The score of CPSCS appeared to significantly discriminate the severity of brain injury. Among nursing activities in CPSCS, Respiratory therapy, IV Infusion and Medication, Monitoring, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Treatment and Procedure were significant to discriminate the severity of brain injury. Respiratory therapy, Vital Signs, and Monitoring appeared to significantly discriminate the recovery states of 1- and 3-months. Nursing activities significantly contributed to predict the days of ICU stay were Respiratory therapy, ADL, and Teaching and Emotional Support.
CONCLUSION
CPSCS developed by the Hospital Nurses Association appeared to be valid to discriminate or predict brain injury severity, recovery states, and days of stay in ICU for brain injury patients.

PURPOSE
The purpose is to explore the illness experience of Korean women with breast cancer using feminist phenomenology.
METHODS
Data were collected by individual in-depth interviews from ten women with total mastectomy. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method from feminist perspective to reveal implicit socio-cultural norms that oppress women with breast cancer.
RESULTS
Two categories and seven major themes emerged: cancer-related experience (1) unfairness of having breast cancer; (2) being confined to the gaze of the others; patriarchy-related experience (3) hardness of being daughter-in-law; (4) struggling to keep on being good mother; (5) continued housework as duty; (6) recognizing self as precious wife, and (7) awakening of true self. All participants felt it was very unfair to get breast cancer because they had done their best for roles of mother, wife, and daughter-in-law. They struggled to free themselves from the social disgrace like the roles imposed by the patriarchal society. By awakening their true selves, they could manage a balance between other-oriented life and self-oriented life.
CONCLUSION
Oncology nurses need to provide psychosocial support for women with breast cancer in finding their true selves in a traditional patriarchal society where women are oppressed and breast cancer is stigmatized.

PURPOSE
This study was designed to evaluate the effect of TENS on pain and pulmonary function of post-lobectomy patients with lung cancer.
METHODS
The study data collection was done from February 4, 2008 to February 7, 2009. The subjects were assigned at random to the experimental group and control group with 20 subjects in each group. The experimental group was measured for pain and pulmonary function after surgery and then again after applying TENS 100 Hz frequency and 40 mA output for 20 minutes. The control group was measured the same as the experimental group except applying sham TENS.
RESULTS
The pain score of the experimental group which had TENS applied revealed that there were more significant reductions than the control group which had sham TENS applied. There was no significant difference with the number of times of receiving analgesics between the experimental and control group. The effect of TENS on pulmonary function was significantly different between the experimental group and the control group on VC 2 hours after surgery. There was no significant difference between FVC and FEV1.
CONCLUSION
The findings of the study indicate that the TENS is effective in easing the pain of patients after a lobectomy.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of sexual satisfaction and daily stress in breast cancer patients.
METHODS
Data was collected through self-administered questionnaires and analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation. Data survey was conducted with 500 conveniently selected breast cancer patients who visited the out patient department in 5 university hospitals in Seoul, Gyung-gi and Gang-won province.
RESULTS
The sexual satisfaction of breast cancer patients score was 31.34 and there were significant sexual satisfaction differences by age, education level, menopause and sexual activity frequency. Sexual satisfaction was negatively related with daily stress (r = -.177) especially personal stress (r = -.155), economic stress (r = -.138), stress of self (r = -.181), family stress (r = -.154) and stress about leisure (r = -.139).
CONCLUSION
These findings are expected to make a contribution to creation of ideal sexual rehabilitation nursing interventions for breast cancer patients care nurse. Furthermore continuous and customized education and counseling programs can contribute to promote healthy sexual life for breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of cuff pressure on postoperative sore throat.
METHODS
Data were collected from January 4 through May 15, 2008. Among the 60 patients, 30 patients were randomly assigned to the control group and the rest to the experimental group. Initial cuff pressure of both groups was set at 20 cmH2O. The experimental group was maintained at 20 cmH2O throughout the anesthesia, while the control group was not regulated further. Sore throat was assessed at postoperative 1, 24 and 72 hours. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's rho coefficients.
RESULTS
Cuff pressure in the control group increased from 20 to 43 cmH2O within 3 hours after induction. However, the experimental group showed that there was apparently a reduced rate of sore throat at postoperative 24 hours (p = .048), and 72 hours (p = .002) than in the control group. However, no outstanding differences between both groups at postoperative 1 hour (p = .081) were detected. The correlation between cuff pressure and sore throat was statistically significant (r(s) = .590, p < .001).
CONCLUSION
We conclude that maintaining cuff pressure at 20 cmH2O could be an effective means to reduce sore throat in surgical patients with inhalation anesthesia.

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to study the acceptance of disability and influential factors between hemiplegic elderly and non-elderly after stroke.
METHODS
Data were collected with questionnaires from 104 elderly and 134 non-elderly with hemiplegia. Data were analyzed by chi-square-test, t-test, ANOVA, ANCOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression.
RESULTS
Significant predictors of acceptance of disability were family support, activities of daily living, and age, and these factors accounted for 24.2% of variance in acceptance of disability in the hemiplegic elderly. On the other hand, the significant predictors were family support and employment, and these factors accounted for 32.3% of variance in acceptance of disability in the non-elderly. Family support was the most influential variable in both the elderly and the non-elderly.
CONCLUSION
An acceptance of disability program for the hemiplegic elderly should be designed differently from that for the non-elderly.